The Missing

We've all been inundated with images from the disaster along the gulf coast, but the ones that continue to stay with me are those of the missing. I'd like to share a story with you about some folks I met the last over the last few days who are absolutely at the end of their rope looking for relatives.

After going to the local resource center in Winston-Salem for those coming from the coast to seek refuge, Brent Campbell and I still didn't have our "real story." You know, the face of the tragedy. We had official sound talking about what the locals were prepared to do, but no families at this time. So after we had finished our package for the 5 O'clock newscast I started setting up the live shot. That's when it happened.

A fairly desperate-looking middle-aged man approached me from across the parking lot. I had no idea what he wanted but decided to hear him out. He told me his name was Anthony Odin. He started by asking if I worked for the television station. I no more had it out of my mouth than he became emotional and started spilling his story out to me. He asked me to please put him on TV so he could find his daughter.

She had just given birth to a baby girl, Aalliyah, the day before the evacuations started in New Orleans. As Anthony, his fiance' and her mother started to leave, they went to the hospital to get his daughter. Only she had checked out already. Anthony's future mother-in-law is diabetic and an amputee so they had to get out as soon as possible. Knowing his daughter was with her mother he decided to get out of the big easy right then.

Flash forward eight days and a thousand miles later and the trio found themselves at a relative's house in Pfafftown, North Carolina; a small suburb outside of Winston-Salem. Anthony has been to the Red Cross, searched the internet and asked everyone he can think of how to find his daughter and new grandchild. He has nowhere else to turn.

I'm putting out a plea of my own to see if anyone out there has knowledge of Destiny Odin and her newborn daughter. She may be easy to spot as the baby is only 11 days old. Maybe someone somewhere will see these two and get in touch with Anthony; he's registered on the Red Cross Family News Network. God Bless all who are going through the same thing at this time, I know there must be thousands.

----------------------------------UPDATE-------------------------------
Anthony called me and said he has talked to his daughter. Her mother checked her and the baby out of the hospital in N.O. and they rode out the storm. They were rescued and evacuated to Houston, Texas where they are now staying in a shelter. Anthony says thanks to everyone for keeping him and his family in your prayers. I say thanks to everyone for looking out for them.
----------------------------------UPDATE-------------------------------